Juggling school work and arts has paid off for Kapiti College student Anna Barry, who has received a $30,000 scholarship to attend Otago University.

She also received the Kapiti College Dux award at the school's prizegiving on Thursday night.

Anna, 18, is in four music groups at Kapiti College, has two part-time jobs, and completed her piano grade eight exam this year.

At college she is committed to the barbershop quartet, and girls' barbershop chorus which came third at the National Secondary School's Barbershop competition this year.

She is also a member of the Jazz Choir and girls' senior choir, both of which won silver awards for their categories at the 2012 World Choir Games in the United States in July.

When she's not at school, Anna spends Monday and Tuesday afternoons teaching mathematics at NumberWorks'nWords Kapiti, and teaches piano on Wednesday afternoons.

She also plays keyboard at the Paraparaumu Family Church on Sundays.

"I wanted to do netball but I couldn't fit in the practices with my work," she said.

Anna hopes to study towards a double degree in arts and either commerce or science.

"I'm really bad at making big decisions so I think if I do a double degree it'll keep my options open," she said.

The Academic Excellence scholarship, awarded by the university, provides students with up to $10,000 a year for three years.

- Kapiti Observer

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